Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An electronic mail system comprising: a plurality of user terminal apparatuses; a distribution apparatus that distributes an electronic mail to a specified destination in response to a distribution request for distributing the electronic mail, the distribution request being sent from any of the plurality of user terminal apparatuses; an information providing apparatus; and a storage device, each of the plurality of user terminal apparatuses including: a display processing unit that performs a process to display a list of electronic mails addressed to a user of the user terminal apparatus, the electronic mails including an electronic mail that is distributed from the distribution apparatus and that is addressed to a plurality of users; a detecting unit that detects a process specified to be performed by the user on an electronic mail displayed by the display processing unit; and a process detection information sending unit that sends process detection information that includes process specification information specifying details of the process detected by the detecting unit and mail identification information about the electronic mail on which the process has been performed, the information providing apparatus including: a registration unit that obtains the process detection information sent by the process detection information sending unit and registers the process detection information in the storage device; a history information generating unit that generates history information representing history of processes performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users on the basis of the process detection information registered in the storage device; and a history information sending unit that sends the generated history information to the user terminal apparatus, wherein the display processing unit generates, on the basis of the history information generated by the history information generating unit, status information representing a status of actions performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users, and displays the generated status information in association with the corresponding electronic mail, wherein the status of actions performed by users includes a status of whether a file attached to the electronic mail has been opened, and wherein the display processing unit further generates an action ratio of the status information, the action ratio is a value indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic mail.
An email system displays the status of actions taken on group emails, such as whether attachments have been opened. User terminals send data about actions performed on emails to a central server. The server calculates the ratio of users who performed an action (e.g., opened an attachment) on a particular group email. This ratio and the status information are then sent back to the user terminals, where they are displayed next to the email in the user's inbox. The displayed status includes whether an attachment has been opened, and the display shows the percentage of users who performed an action.
2. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 , wherein the display processing unit generates the status information on the basis of history information corresponding to an electronic mail that satisfies a certain display target condition, and displays the generated status information.
The email system from the previous description displays the user action status only for emails meeting certain display criteria. For example, the user may filter emails based on date, sender, or subject, and the action status will only be shown for the filtered emails. The display processing unit generates the status information based on history information corresponding to emails that satisfy a certain display target condition and displays the generated status information.
3. The electronic mail system according to claim 2 , wherein the user terminal apparatus includes a history information obtaining unit that sends, to the information providing apparatus, a send request for sending the history information corresponding to the electronic mail that satisfies the certain display target condition, and that obtains the history information sent in response to the send request, and wherein the history information generating unit generates the history information corresponding to the electronic mail that satisfies the certain display target condition, the history information being specified by the send request sent from the history information obtaining unit.
Extending the email system described previously, when a user filters emails according to certain criteria, the user terminal requests the action history only for emails matching that filter. The central server then provides the action history only for those filtered emails. The user terminal includes a history information obtaining unit that sends a request to the information providing apparatus for sending history information corresponding to the email that satisfies the display target condition and obtains the history information sent in response.
4. The electronic mail system according to claim 3 , wherein the information providing apparatus includes an attribute information obtaining unit that obtains attribute information about a user, wherein the user terminal apparatus includes a reception notification information sending unit that sends, when receiving an electronic mail distributed by the distribution apparatus, reception notification information including the mail identification information about the electronic mail and the attribute information of the user, and wherein the history information generating unit refers to the attribute information obtained by the attribute information obtaining unit, and generates history information for each attribute item on the basis of the process detection information sent from the user terminal apparatus used by the user related to attribute information that matches the attribute information of the user who uses the user terminal apparatus that has sent the send request.
Building on the prior email system description, the central server tracks user attributes (e.g., department, job title) and generates action history based on these attributes. For example, when a user requests the action history for an email, the server provides action history segmented by department, showing how many people in each department opened the email or attachment. The information providing apparatus includes an attribute information obtaining unit that obtains attribute information about a user.
5. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 , wherein the history information generating unit classifies the process detection information registered in the storage device in accordance with a certain process classification standard, and generates history information for each classification item on the basis of the classified process detection information.
The email system from the initial description further includes the ability to categorize user actions and generate action history for each category. For example, actions might be categorized as "read," "replied," "forwarded," or "opened attachment." The system would then show the percentage of users who performed each of these actions on a given group email. The history information generating unit classifies the process detection information registered in the storage device according to a certain process classification standard and generates history information for each classification item based on the classified process detection information.
6. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a reception notification information sending unit that sends reception notification information including mail identification information about an electronic mail distributed by the distribution apparatus when the electronic mail is received at a destination, wherein the information providing apparatus includes a number-of-destinations obtaining unit that receives the reception notification information sent by the reception notification information sending unit, counts the number of pieces of the received reception notification information for each piece of mail identification information included in the received reception notification information, and obtains the counted number as the number of destinations of the electronic mail, and wherein the history information generating unit generates, as the history information, a process ratio indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic mail to the destinations of the electronic mail.
In the email system from the initial description, the system counts the number of recipients for each group email. It then calculates the "process ratio," which is the number of users who performed an action on the email divided by the total number of recipients. This process ratio is displayed alongside the email in the user's inbox. The system includes a reception notification information sending unit and a number-of-destinations obtaining unit, as well as modification of the history information generating unit.
7. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 , wherein the distribution apparatus distributes the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users requested to be distributed to individual destinations after adding mail identification information for identifying the electronic mail to the electronic mail.
In the email system from the first description, when a group email is sent, the distribution apparatus adds a unique identifier to the email before distributing it to individual recipients. This allows the system to track actions performed on the email by different users and to calculate the action ratio. This mail identification information allows uniquely identifying and tracking the emails for providing the functionality described in previous claims.
8. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 , wherein the display processing unit further generates a display icon based on the generated action ratio, the display icon distinguishes the generated action ratio from another action ratio.
The email system from the first description displays a visual icon representing the "action ratio" for each group email. The icon's appearance changes depending on the action ratio, visually indicating the level of engagement with the email (e.g., a green checkmark for high engagement, a yellow exclamation point for moderate engagement, and a red X for low engagement). The display icon visually distinguishes the action ratio from another action ratio.
9. A user terminal apparatus comprising: a display processing unit that performs a process to display a list of electronic mails addressed to a user of the user terminal apparatus, the electronic mails including an electronic mail addressed to a plurality of users; a detecting unit that detects a process specified to be performed by the user on an electronic mail displayed by the display processing unit; and a process detection information sending unit that sends process detection information that includes process specification information specifying details of the process detected by the detecting unit and mail identification information about the electronic mail on which the process has been performed, wherein the display processing unit generates, on the basis of history information that is generated by an information providing apparatus on the basis of the process detection information and that represents history of processes performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users, status information representing a status of actions performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users and an action ratio of the status information, and displays the generated status information in association with the corresponding electronic mail, wherein the status of actions performed by users includes a status of whether a file attached to the electronic mail has been opened, and wherein the action ratio is a value indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic snail.
A user terminal in an email system displays a list of emails and tracks user actions on group emails. The terminal sends data about these actions to a server, which calculates the ratio of users who performed an action (e.g., opened an attachment). This ratio, along with status information indicating whether attachments were opened, is then sent back to the user terminal for display next to the email. The action ratio indicates a value indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic mail.
10. The user terminal apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the display processing unit further generates a display icon based on the generated action ratio, the display icon distinguishes the generated action ratio from another action ratio.
Building on the previous user terminal description, the terminal displays a visual icon representing the "action ratio" for each group email. The icon's appearance changes depending on the action ratio, visually indicating the level of engagement with the email. The display processing unit further generates a display icon based on the generated action ratio, and the display icon distinguishes the generated action ratio from another action ratio.
11. An information providing apparatus comprising: a registration unit that obtains process detection information that is sent from any of a plurality of user terminal apparatuses and that includes process specification information specifying details of a process specified to be performed by a user on an electronic mail addressed to a plurality of users and mail identification information about the electronic mail on which the process has been performed, and registers the process detection information in a storage device; a history information generating unit that generates, in response to a send request from any of the plurality of user terminal apparatuses, history information representing history of processes performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users on the basis of the process detection information registered in the storage device; and a sending unit that sends the generated history information to the user terminal apparatus as a source of the send request, wherein the history information includes: status information about whether a file attached to the electronic mail has been opened by the users, and an action ratio of the status information, the action ratio is a value indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic mail.
A server component in an email system tracks user actions on group emails. It receives data from user terminals about actions performed on emails, stores this data, and calculates the ratio of users who performed a specific action (e.g., opened an attachment). This ratio, along with status information indicating whether attachments were opened, is then sent back to the requesting user terminal. The information includes the action ratio and status information about whether a file attached to the email has been opened by the users.
12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising: performing a process to display a list of electronic mails addressed to a user of a user terminal apparatus, the electronic mails including an electronic mail addressed to a plurality of users; detecting a process specified to be performed by the user on an electronic mail displayed; sending process detection information that includes process specification information specifying details of the detected process and mail identification information about the electronic mail on which the process has been performed; and generating, on the basis of history information that is generated by an information providing apparatus on the basis of the process detection information and that represents history of processes performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users, status information representing a status of actions performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users and an action ratio of the status information, and displaying the generated status information in association with the corresponding electronic mail, wherein the status of actions performed by users includes a status of whether a file attached to the electronic mail has been opened, and wherein the action ratio is a value indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic mail.
A computer program controls an email client to display emails, detect user actions, and show the engagement level of group emails. The program tracks actions like opening attachments, sends data about these actions to a server for processing, and then displays a ratio showing what percentage of recipients engaged with a specific email. The display also indicates whether attachments have been opened. The actions are on an email addressed to a plurality of users, and an action ratio of the status information is included.
13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising: obtaining process detection information that is sent from any of a plurality of user terminal apparatuses and that includes process specification information specifying details of a process specified to be performed by a user on an electronic mail addressed to a plurality of users and mail identification information about the electronic mail on which the process has been performed, and registering the process detection information in a storage device; generating, in response to a send request from any of the plurality of user terminal apparatuses, history information representing history of processes performed by users on the electronic mail addressed to the plurality of users on the basis of the process detection information registered in the storage device; and sending the generated history information to the user terminal apparatus as a source of the send request, wherein the history information includes: status information about whether a file attached to the electronic mail has been opened by the users; and an action ratio of the status information, the action ratio is a value indicating a ratio of users who have performed a process on the electronic mail.
A computer program for an email server tracks actions on group emails by receiving information from user terminals, storing this data, calculating the action ratio (percentage of recipients engaging with an email), and sending that information back to the terminals. The information returned to the terminals includes the action ratio and status information about whether a file attached to the email has been opened by the users.
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September 23, 2014
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